Haim Saban: Taking the Entertainment Industry by Storm
Haim Saban is a billionaire media mogul, philanthropist, and the founder of Saban Capital Group. Over his 40-year career, Saban has become one of the most successful players in the global media business, producing iconic entertainment franchises such as Power Rangers and spanning a wide array of media and multimedia disciplines from film, television, and music to interactive games, theme parks, and more. Saban has not only generated billions in revenue and pioneering new markets, but also has made significant contributions to society through his numerous philanthropic initiatives.
Early Life and Career
Haim Saban was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1944. His parents, a factory worker and grocery shopkeeper, relocated the family to Tel Aviv in 1956, where Saban received formal education. He went on to complete his university studies in management and economics at the Israel Institute of Technology.
In the early 1970s, Saban started working in the music production industry. He quickly rose to prominence in the Israeli music industry and eventually created the massively successful Saban Music Group, which produced several hit music acts, such as the Eurodisco band HOOLIE, who topped the Israeli music charts for much of the 1980s.
Business Ventures
Building on his success in the music industry, Haim Saban quickly ambitiously expanded his media empire in the 1980s and 1990s. He collaborated with entertainment giants such as 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Studios to produce a variety of hit television series and films, including the iconic Power Rangers franchise. He also invested heavily in the digital revolution, co-founding Fox Family Network, and purchasing a number of interactive game companies such as NoClip and Digital Oasis. He went on to invest in a wide variety of other media companies, including News Corporation and Univision, the largest Spanish-language broadcaster in the US.
Alongside its many film and television investments, Saban’s Saban Capital Group developed an impressive portfolio in broadcasting and cable channels and networks. SCG has been used to manage and invest in stations such as CBS, CNN, MTG, and others, as well as co-founded the Fox Kids Network, where Haim Saban served as CEO until 2002.
Philanthropic Initiatives
Haim Saban has also devoted much of his formidable energies to philanthropy. He and his wife, philanthropist Cheryl Saban, established the Saban Family Foundation, which provides funds and resources to global charities and organizations focused on improving the health and well-being of children, groups in Israel, and more.
In addition, they have donated millions of dollars to institutions of higher learning, including the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Southern California, and Arizona State University, among others. Most recently, the Sabans made the largest donation in University of California, Los Angeles’ history, when they gave $50 million USD to UCLA’s School of Public Affairs.
In the 40 years since he first entered the entertainment industry, Haim Saban has become one of the most powerful and influential figures in media worldwide. He has generated billions in revenue, pioneering new markets, and creating iconic entertainment franchises. At the same time, he has made significant contributions to society through his philanthropic initiatives. In short, Haim Saban is a true media mogul and philanthropist, who has left a lasting mark on the entertainment industry and the world at large.
